With Antwan Jackson set to announce first on July 3, Ole Miss already has one major defensive line decision looming.
But the next name on deck might be just as important.
Westlake edge rusher Elijah Cox will reveal his commitment July 5, and he fits right into the theme of what Ole Miss has been building.
The Rebels are quietly putting together one of the strongest defensive line classes in the country. Mitchell Turner is a headliner. Ben’Jarvius Shumaker brings length and upside. Jamarkus Pittman and Marvin Nguetsop add power and depth. It’s the kind of group that looks built for long-term stability, not just a one-year splash.
Cox could be the next piece in that puzzle.
3⭐️ vs 3⭐️. Carter Mathis vs Elijah Cox pic.twitter.com/PY60KlkBFI
— Coach Jordan Harris (@BigSkippin_75) June 15, 2026
Ole Miss is in a good spot, but this one isn’t a cake walk. Clemson, Mississippi State, Georgia Tech, Purdue and Florida State are all pushing to make Sunday interesting.
Cox has visited several of them officially, and he hasn’t given much away publicly. That alone keeps the door open for late movement.
Inside the Manning Center, though, confidence is growing.
Cox’s official visit to Oxford checked every box.
According to OM Spirit’s Zach Berry, Ole Miss jumped to the top of the board after meeting with Randall Joyner and Pete Golding in person. He impressed in the one-on-one session and blended right in during the defensive line group meeting.
That matters when a staff is trying to project how a player fits into a room that already has real momentum.
The production matches the evaluation.
Cox finished his junior season with 35 tackles, eight tackles for loss, four sacks and an interception he returned for a touchdown. He’s the kind of athlete who fits the mold Ole Miss has been stacking all summer.
There’s still time for other programs to jockey for position before Sunday.
There’s still room for a surprise. But as of now, Ole Miss feels like it has done enough to be in a strong spot.
If Jackson picks the Rebels on Thursday and Cox follows on Sunday, Ole Miss won’t just be building a good defensive line class.
It will be building one that looks ready to anchor the future.
Ole Miss Football 2027 Signing Class
- EDGE Juelz Batiste, Edna Karr (La.)
- OL Antonio Berry, Tupelo (Miss.)
- QB Keegan Croucher, Baylor School (Tenn.)
- LB Jeremiah Culpepper, Troup County (Ga.)
- LB Jiyez Fleming, Oxford (Ala.)
- WR Tra’Von Hall, Central Tuscaloosa (Ala.)
- QB Crews Jenkins, Brentoowd Academy (Tenn.)
- OL Antonio Keefer, Southwind (Tenn.)
- S Darrell Mattison, Chicago Morgan Park (Ill.)
- CB Taelyn Mayo, Lewisville (Texas)
- S Mason Moore, Baton Rogue (La.)
- WR Alvin Mosley, Almeta Crawford (Texas)
- DL Marvin Nguetsop, St. Thomas More (Conn.)
- LB David Parson, Douglasville (Ga.)
- DL Jamarkus Pittman, Memphis Academy (Tenn.)
- OL Ben’Jarvius Shumaker, Choctaw County (Miss.)
- EDGE Keysan Taylor, Rockford Guilford (Ill.)
- DL Mitchell Turner, Louisville (Miss.)
- OL Ford Wade, Oxford (Miss.)
- WR Miguel Whitley, St. Augustine (La.)
